As brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery, author of The Brewmaster’s Table, and editor-in-chief of The Oxford Companion to Beer, Garrett Oliver is an undisputed authority on America’s favorite alcoholic beverage. We got in touch with the 2013 Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional award nominee to find out about what chefs and brewers have in common, the restaurant with the best beer selection in New York City, and the wildest brew he’s ever concocted.

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JBF: What is your favorite beer from Brooklyn Brewery’s current collection?... Read more >

Brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery and author of The Brewmaster’s Table, Garrett Oliver knows his beer, how to make it, and what to eat with it. We got in touch with him to find out which restaurants have the best beer programs and his thoughts on the beer cocktail fad.
James Beard Foundation: How did you get involved in beer and brewing?
Garrett Oliver: I lived in London for a year in the mid-1980s and fell in love with traditional British beer. Then I traveled all over Europe and had great beers there, too. When I got home, I found that I could no longer drink American beer. It was 1984 and almost all American beers were mass-market concoctions that tasted like water. I started making beer at home so I’d have something nice to drink. It was a slippery slope, and I eventually fell in.
JBF: What experience did you have before becoming brewmaster for the Brooklyn Brewery?
GO: I went